IDA: New Takeda manufacturing facility in Dublin

IDA: New Takeda manufacturing facility in Dublin
Ireland - 17 Jul. 2009 - Company's first API manufacturing facility outside of Japan

Minister for Health and Children Mary Harney TD today (Friday 17th July 2009) performed the official opening for Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, the largest pharmaceutical company in Japan, of its state-of-the-art Active Pharmaceuticals Ingredient (API) manufacturing facility at Grange Castle, Clondalkin, Dublin, which is supported by Government through IDA Ireland. The facility already employs 40 of the 60 people planned for recruitment.

Takeda has operations in Ireland for over 14 years which currently employ a total of 450 people and involve investments totalling €250 million at two subsidiaries, at Grange Castle in Clondalkin and at Bray in Co. Wicklow. Takeda also used today's occasion to announce that it is to integrate the two subsidiaries into one company, in order to achieve better operating synergies for the two Irish entities.

Minister Harney said "This facility is a significant and important investment from a leading Japanese company and its official opening is a further excellent development for the pharmaceutical sector in Ireland. It demonstrates Ireland's continuing ability to attract and to successfully implement high value manufacturing investments and to provide the knowledgeable and skilled workforce required. I congratulate all at Takeda for this success."

Takashi Inkyo, General Manager of Takeda's Pharmaceutical Production Division said: "We are most grateful to IDA Ireland and South Dublin County Council for their strong support in establishing our second operation in Ireland at Grange Castle. This new multi-product plant and our pharmaceutical finished product operations in Bray form our overseas manufacturing base for Takeda strategic products with integrated facilities covering the complete process from active ingredient through to final solid oral dosage product"

The establishment of the Grange Castle facility was due to Takeda's expanding sales in the European and US markets. As a result it decided to establish its first active pharmaceuticals ingredient (API) facility outside of Japan and chose Ireland as the location. Grange Castle manufactures active ingredients for diabetes and sleep disorder drugs. The output is supplied to the parent company and to the Bray facility for used in the manufacture of tablets and capsules.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda)
Located in Osaka, Japan, Takeda is a research-based global company with its main focus on pharmaceuticals. As the largest pharmaceutical company in Japan and one of the global leaders of the industry, Takeda is committed to striving toward better health for individuals and progress in medicine by developing superior pharmaceutical products. Additional information about Takeda is available through its corporate website, www.takeda.com.

Takeda's worldwide employment is 15,700 people and sales in 2008 were US$ 15,697 million. Manufacturing facilities are based in Japan, Italy, China, Indonesia and Ireland, with R&D facilities in Japan, US, UK and Singapore and a marketing presence in all major international markets.

Takeda in Bray, Co. Wicklow - Formulation Plant
In 1997 Takeda established a formulation plant in Bray, for tablets and capsules, to manufacture strategic products for the European and US markets. To-day three of its four blockbuster drugs are manufactured in Bray - Prevacid, Blopress and Actos. This plant has significantly expanded its operation since inception and operates on a 24 hour/7 day basis.

For further information please contact:
Takeda Ireland Ltd - Mr. Greg Timmons Tel (01) 2050600

We are most grateful to IDA Ireland and South Dublin County Council for their strong support in establishing our second operation in Ireland at Grange Castle. This new multi-product plant and our pharmaceutical finished product operations in Bray form our overseas manufacturing base for Takeda strategic products with integrated facilities covering the complete process from active ingredient through to final solid oral dosage product.